


Do It For Science

by orphan_account



Series: Do It For Science [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013), Re-Animator (1985)
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, For Science!, M/M, Mad Science, Pacific Rim AU, Science Bros, Science Husbands, Sex, Sexual Content, Smut, au pacific rim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 03:11:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3341381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newt hated doing laundry, but when a certain scientist shows up at the local Laundromat he can't deny the chemistry they have.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Do It For Science

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!  
> So this was a present I did for my friend. For her birthday I told her she could pick any characters she wanted and I would write her a one shot. She chose Newt Geizler and Herbert West and here we are! I hope there are other people out there who love these two because I think I might ship them after writing this.  
> Enjoy!

The worst day of the week had arrived. Newt Geiszler groaned as he looked at his calendar, confirming what he already knew: The day of reckoning had finally come. 

Sunday, to be exact. Laundry day. Newt hated doing it. Nay, he dreaded Sundays now because of their association with that horrible chore. When he had lived in Germany, every apartment building had state-of-the-art laundry machines and dryers taking up a whole floor. It was great. It was what living in the modern age should be like.

Now he was in America, Massachusetts to be exact, teaching at MIT and wondering how in God’s name a place that prides itself on technology didn’t have the most basic of modern luxuries. The only place he could go to was a Laundromat six blocks away from his apartment. It was dirty, miserable, and crowded. 

There was one place he had claimed for his own though. The washer and dryer in the back right corner was his and his alone. Everyone in the Laundromat had their own spot, their turf that they laid claim to, and an order that never changed.

Never changed, except for today. There were the usual people sitting around looking at magazines or their phones, but under the hideous green florescent lights Newt saw that someone had taken his usual washer and dryer. 

He actually had to blink a few times to make sure he hadn’t gone crazy. The guy who had taken his spot looked just like him. Dark hair and glasses, skinny black tie with a button down white oxford, and black pants. He was even short like Newt. No one was as short as him! All this guy needed was some ink on his arms and they could have been twins.

Newt walked up to the washer dryer pair next to his usual spot and put his bags down. The man looked up from the book he was reading. Newt gave a nod and smile which the other man did not return before he turned back to his book, some thick medical text that Newt knew couldn’t be for pleasure. Only he read textbooks for the fun of it. 

As he popped clothes in the laundry, Newt watched his double read out of the corner of his eye. He had never seen someone so animated about such a simple task. He made little notes in the margins, underlined, and gave tiny shakes of his head whenever he seemed to find something disagreeable. 

If Newt was being real, and a bit arrogant, this guy was kinda cute like he was too. Ok not in the same way, his features were more delicate, and his frame more slender, but damn he was cute. Newt smiled to himself. Maybe he’d give the old Geiszler charm a try and see where it lead him.

“Unbelievable.” The man muttered under his breath as he ran a hand through his hair angrily. 

“What you got there?” Newt asked.

“A textbook.” 

“Never seen someone get that mad at a text book before.” Newt said, flipping the switch to his washer. “And I teach at MIT so, you know.”

“I know what?” The man looked up.

“Well just,” Newt suddenly faltered under the man’s piercing gaze. “I mean it’s a pretty good school so, you know the textbooks are pretty confusing.”

“This isn’t confusing.” The man glared over the edge of his glasses. “It’s stupid. The theories are Ludacris and the facts only bear tangential relation to the overall premise.” 

“Oh.” Newt said.

“I’m sorry, did you want to ask me about what I was reading, or were you just making small talk?”

“Small talk.”

“I see.” The man returned to his book without another word. 

Great. Now Newt had another reason to dread Sundays.

 

\---

 

The next week the man was there again, still wearing the same outfit, still taking up Newt’s usual spot, and, almost unfortunately, still looking cute. Newt looked around the Laundromat and sighed. It was pretty full that day, forcing him to take the spot next to his (evil) twin again. Kill him with kindness, Newt. He thought to himself. Don’t let this guy ruin your week. 

“We meet again.” He said, flipping open the lid to the washer.

The man glanced up. “Indeed.”

“New book this week?”

“Yes.” The man answered without looking up.

Newt sighed. “Ok, man look. I’ve kinda got this routine going, where I do my laundry every Sunday, and I really don’t like to deviate from my routine, and I think I can tell that you’re kind of a particular guy yourself. So if we are both going to be here every week, wearing the same outfit,” The man glanced self-consciously down at what he was wearing. “Then we’ve got to learn to get along, and I feel like we’re getting off on the wrong foot.”

He wasn’t sure if that speech was going to work. The man’s face betrayed little emotion as his eyes robotically scanned over Newt. “Alright.” He eventually said.

Newt shrugged. “Well, cool. I’m Newton, by the way, but call me Newt.” 

He reached out his hand with a smile. The man looked up and took it. “West, Herbert West.”

Herbert looked at Newt’s arms, covered in tattoos. “What are these?” He asked. 

“Oh those? Just some Kaijus. I assume you’ve heard about all the stuff going on in the Pacific?”

“I don’t know anyone who hasn’t.” Herbert said, taking his hand back. “But I can’t imagine what people think of your desire to turn creatures of destruction into tattoos.”

“Well I study them.” Newt slammed the lid of the washing machine shut and took a seat next to Herbert. “I know they kill people and all that, but I just think they’re fascinating. What about you?” He looked at Herbert’s book. “What are you studying?”

“Death.” West put his book down and got up to dry his clothes. 

“Oh, well, that’s cool I guess.” Newt watched as Herbert moved clothes from washer to dryer in a stream of black and white, when suddenly Newt saw a flash of red. Herbert cursed under his breath and threw the garment into his bag. 

“Shirt’s gonna get moldy if you don’t dry it, dude.” Newt said.

West looked over his shoulder, eye somewhat wide. “The washer ruined it.” His eyes shifted around the room.

“Oh yeah, these things suck. Land of innovation, and we can’t get decent washing machines.”

“Believe me, I know. When I studied in Switzerland this took less than an hour.” Herbert closed the dryer and sat down, pulling his bag close to him.

“That’s what I keep telling people!” Newt said. “When I was in Germany everything was so efficient, and like, I know that’s a total cliché right, because Germany, but-“

Herbert put up his hand shutting his eyes against Newt’s rambling. “You studied in Germany, where?”

“Heidelberg, dude, you?”

“University of Zurich.”

“Ausgezeichnet, my man!” Newt patted Herbert on the back, causing him to shift away slightly. 

“So, you’re a scientist?” Herbert ventured. 

“Yep, working on artificial tissue replication. Trying to use it to study the Kaiju DNA.”

“Really?” West closed his book, sudden interest dawning on his face. “That’s fascinating.”

“You think so?” Newt said before backtracking. Fish on the line, Newt, don’t let him go! “I mean, yeah, it’s totally cool. See, the impetus for the program was these tissue samples that came into the lab three years back-“

Newt watched as Herbert’s face lit up as he went on about his program and research. His gaze was intense, his eyes narrowing with every explanation Newt gave, and Newt could feel he was cataloging everything that was being said, memorizing every word that came out of Newt’s mouth. You like it when I talk science to you? I can talk science to you. “How about you? You said you study…Death?”

“I’m at Miskatonic Medical right now.” Herbert rolled his eyes. “The faculty there are laughable so my research is, well has gone a bit underground.” He smiled. 

Newt wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but something about it sounded a little creepy. “Well, yeah man, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.” 

“Indeed.” Herbert got up as his laundry finished. He shoved it into his bag and zipped it up. He turned to Newt. “Actually, could I run something by you?”

“Sure! Anything!”

Herbert reached into a side pocket of his bag and pulled out a notebook. “You’re working on artificial tissue replication, yes? My research is on the re-animation of dead tissue, and I seem to have hit a bit of a rut here.”

He pointed to a page Newt had to squint to read. It was all a blur of writings and calculations and ideas that made Newt’s jaw drop.

“Out of context, I’m sure the whole thing is gibberish, but-“

“No, dude, are you kidding? This is awesome! Ok, where are you stuck?”

Herbert explained his theory in careful, practiced language. This stuff was his baby, Newt thought, West was really in love with this stuff. He watched as Herbert’s face glowed and grew more animated the more he got into his research, and Newt felt a gradual tightening in his chest begin to take place. The two men sat in heated discussion long enough for Newt to forget all about his laundry, and the skies to start darkening outside. 

Eventually, Newt looked at his watch. “Look man, I’ve got papers to grade. I’ve got to go.” 

Without a word, Herbert packed up his notebook and grabbed his bag 

“I suppose I’ll see you next week?” He asked Newt.

“Same bat-time, same bat-place!”

Herbert gave a small wave and turned without saying goodbye. 

Newt watched as the slender man exited and sighed. “God help you, Newt, you’ve got it bad.”

 

\---

 

The next Sunday Newt walked into the Laundromat with a smile on for first time ever. Herbert was already there, of course, and was just starting his machine.

“How’s it going?” Newt asked as he put his bags down.

“All and all not bad.” Herbert shrugged. “I just hope-“ he paused as his phone started ringing. “Damn it.” He whispered before taking the call. “Yes?”

Newt watched from out of the corner of his eye as he put his own laundry in the machine. 

“Yes, I’ll be right over. Understood, yes.” Herbert swore as he hung up his phone.

“Something bad?” Newt asked. 

“No, well yes. I’m on call at the hospital today and I just got called.” He looked at his wash, and at the time. “It’s not a bad accident. Broken leg. In and out in an hour. Do you think you can watch my laundry for me?”

“Yeah, no problem!”

“Thank you!” Herbert touched Newt’s shoulder as he took out his cellphone. “Give me your number. I’ll give you mine and text you when I’m out.” 

Newt tried not to concentrate on the hand pressing on his upper arm, seeping heat he could just barely feel through his shirt, while he recited his phone number.

Herbert put his phone away and grabbed his coat. “Thanks so much!” With that he ran out the door and hailed a cab. 

Newt waited until he was gone and well out of sight before punching the air. Fuck yeah, got his number! It was hardly romantic, but Newt didn’t care. Small victories. 

 

\---

 

When the timer dinged on both Herbert and his laundry, he realized his victory may have been short lived. Newt danced around his corner of the Laundromat, blasting Led Zeppelin out of his headphones to drown out the army of whirring washing machines. 

“I gotta roll, can't stand still, got a flaming heart, can't get my fill.” He sang along while throwing the laundry in the dryer and hitting the start button, realizing all too late he had thrown both his and Herbert’s clothes in at the same time.

“Oh shit, OH SHIT.”

“Can you be quiet?” Someone called from the other side of the room.

“Look, I’m sorry, but I’m dealing with a crisis here!” Newt shouted over the machines before turning back to the situation at hand. He watched as the clothes tumbled around in the dryer. They were the same. All their clothes were the same. Why in God’s name did they both have to be so boring?

He got a text from Herbert. “Second accident. Have to take this. Can I get my clothes later?”

“Shitshitshitshitshit.” Newt whispered while texting a composed “Yeah, sure. My place ok?”

A few seconds passed before he got a text back “Perfect.”

 

\--- 

 

Newt looked at the pile of clothes on his bed as he paced back and forth. He managed to separate a few clothes he knew were his, but the rest was a mystery to him. 

“Be there in 5.” A text from Herbert alerted him. 

“Fuck.” Newt ran around picking up his apartment. Why did he let it get so messy? Where did he put the Febreeze? Did he really finish all that ice cream? Then why was the empty container still out?

He was just about to break out the vacuum when there came a knock at his door. 

Newt pressed his eye against the peephole in the door and saw Herbert West standing in the hall. “Ok” he whispered to himself, leaning against the door. “Ok, you can do this. You’re a fucking rock star. You got this.” 

He opened the door and smiled. “Hey Herby, what’s up?” 

“Herbert.” He said walking in. “Do you have my clothes?”

“Yeah, well, it’s a funny story actually. You see there was a bit of a mix up.” 

“Mix up?”

“Yeah. Look I’m sorry, but I accidently threw all our clothes in the same dryer and, well, you got to admit our wardrobes are pretty similar, and long story short I don’t really know what’s yours and what’s mine.” He opened the door to his room and turned on the light, revealing the tangled pile of clothes in all its black and white glory.

“Oh.” 

Newt was about to start sweating from embarrassment when he heard West start to chuckle. He looked over and saw the other scientist smirking. Newt laughed and tried to play it cool.

“Yeah, pretty funny, right?”

“I thought you were joking.”

“No. I really fucked up.”

Herbert walked over and started picking at the pile. “We really do have the same wardrobe, don’t we?”

“Yeah. Guess it’s just the scientist uniform. Pretty pathetic, right?”

“Pretty much.”

The two men started picking through the pile, going garment by garment, determining who’s was who’s. The whole situation wasn’t as bad as Newt had expected, if anything, Herbert seemed to be having fun playing detective with their clothes. Not that Newt minded having his things handled by him. 

“This?” Newt picked up a shirt. “I don’t think this is mine.”

Herbert looked up. “No, that’s yours.”

“Really?” Newt inspected it. “I don’t remember it.”

“Definitely yours. See that collar?” He pointed. “You never have shirts with button-down collars, but most of mine do. This one doesn’t button down so it must be yours.”

“Oh. Damn, you’re good at this.”

They both reached forward at the same time, and Newt felt Herbert’s hand land on top of his. Electricity shot up his arm as they both looked at each other. They let their hands linger there just a second, just long enough for them both to feel the weight of the moment. 

They pulled their hands back in a flutter of “sorries” and sorted through the last few garments. 

“Well I think that’s it.” Newton said.

“Yes, I think so.”

They stood for a moment in silence, admiring their two separate piles. 

“Hey, I was just going to make some popcorn before you came over.” Newt pointed to the kitchen. “You want some? Maybe a drink? I know you said your place isn’t that far away, but-“

“I’ll stay.”

“Oh, awesome! Cool, well come on in.” 

Newt ran into the kitchen and started getting things ready. Herbert stood in the living room, looking at the walls covered in posters of Kaijus, anime movies, and rock bands. 

“So how was the hospital?” Newt called from the kitchen.

“Broken leg was a piece of cake. Second was a car accident. Not so easy.” 

“Oh shit. Was everyone ok?” 

“Yes, they lived, but they’ll be missing and eye.”

Newt made a face. “That’s nasty. I couldn’t be a doctor, man. Animal blood, Kaijus, I can deal with that. I don’t know how you can hold people’s lives in your hands like that.”

He saw a small smile cross Herbert’s face. “It’s just an obsession, same as yours.”

Newt came out with a bowl of popcorn. “Want a drink? I have some whiskey, or maybe something else?”

“I’ll just have water.”

“Ok, yeah, totally cool.” Newt ran back and got two glasses of water.

They both sat down on the couch. Herbert leaned over and picked up a glass cylinder filled with blue liquid on the coffee table.

“That’s genuine Kaiju Blue.” Newt said proudly.

“I thought that was toxic?”

“Oh, extremely, but I’m studying what makes it toxic to our world but natural to theirs. See, look,” He went to take the cylinder out of Herbert’s hand, instead landing his hand on the other man’s fingers. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

He went to pull away, but West reached out. “No,” Their eyes met. “It’s ok.”

The two men looked at each other. Newt could feel heat building between them and hoped Herbert felt it too. He slid his hand on the couch halfway between himself and West. A peace offering, an invitation he begged Herbert would take.

The other man glanced down at the hand before reaching out and covering it with his own. Without needing to speak, Newt put the cylinder down on the table and reached out to cup Herbert’s face. In unison the two removed their glasses and leaned in, their lips colliding, at first delicately, then growing more hungry as their kiss deepened.

Newt felt Herbert place a hand on his back, sliding it down slowly and pulling him closer. He placed his own hand gently on West’s thigh, smiling into the kiss as he heard the other man make a low hum. They pulled apart, looking at each other.

“Do you want to…?” Newt wanted to go further, dear lord he wanted to go so much further, but he didn’t want to put pressure on Herbert.

West reached up and stroked Newt’s face. “Let’s just stay here for a bit. See where we end up.”

“Fine by me.” He leaned in and began kissing Herbert, both men reacting more aggressively now. Their mouths parted and their tongues glided together, spit mingling as Newt pressed up against West. He slid his hand up the other man’s leg, landing eventually on his hip and letting his thumb press into a piece of skin that was just barely exposed. 

He felt Herbert’s hand on his back press tighter, and the slender man leaned back, drawing Newt down, down until West was lying flat on the couch and Newt arched over him. Newt pressed his hand into the couch and both of them readjusted their legs. Herbert reached up and ran a hand through Newt’s hair, before dragging it down and tugging on his black tie, pulling the other scientist closer as he began to place kisses along Herbert’s jaw. 

Newt looked down at West. His pale cheeks were flushed and desire was in his eyes, but he needed a sign, a signal that it was ok to proceed. As if on queue, Herbert undid the first few buttons on Newt’s shirt. He slid a hand underneath and smiled as he saw Newt react with a quick exhale of breath.

“My room?” Newt asked.

“God, yes.”

They laced their hands together as Newt led Herbert back to his room. Once inside, West sat down on the edge of the bed and kicked his shoes off. Newt did the same and walked over, holding the other man’s face in his hands and looking at it in the low light.

“Jesus, you’re cute.” Newt said. “I mean you’re really fucking attractive.” 

Herbert chuckled, placing a kiss on Newt’s cheek. “You’re not so bad either.”

The doctor continued to unbutton Newt’s shirt, undoing his tie with one hand and throwing it to the floor. He looked at Newt’s chest, letting his eyes take in the tattoos etched across his skin. Newt stood back, removing his shirt fully before pulling off Herbert’s tie and getting to work on undoing his shirt, kissing the skin under each button he loosened. 

Herbert slid back until he was fully on the bed, leaning back on his elbows as Newt followed with a wicked expression on his lips. Newt laid next to West, letting the doctor run a hand through his thick hair again, before he traced the outline of Newt’s frame, eventually landing on his belt. He felt Herbert’s fingers brush the hair just below his navel, before sliding down further and grazing against the bulge growing in his pants. Newt shuttered at the sudden contact, causing a smile to spread over Herbert’s face. 

“Come here.” Newt whispered and pulled the other man into a kiss as his hands traveled south, unzipping West’s pants. Soon enough, they were both naked, and Newt could feel Herbert’s eyes scan over his body, inspecting him with a gaze Newt would call clinical if there wasn’t such a hunger behind it. 

Newt slid a leg in between Herbert’s and placed his hands on either side of the slender man’s head. He leaned down and kissed him, starting with this mouth before making a trail down West’s body until…

Newt could hear Herbert make a quick intake of breath, and felt his leg twitch. He smiled at the sounds his partner was making, the sounds he was causing West to make, and thought back to their first meeting at the Laundromat. West had seemed so uptight, so robotic, someone who lacked feelings. He heard Herbert let out a moan as Newt flicked his tongue, starting to prepare for the next step, and had to stop himself from almost laughing. Not so uptight now.

He hoisted himself up, placing kisses over Herbert’s chest. “Are you ready?”

The smaller man looked at Newt. “Yes.” He hissed, no, begged, grasping at his tattooed arms. 

Newt grabbed a bottle of lube from his bedside table oiled himself up, before turning back and giving his partner a deep kiss. Then, proceeding with care, he arched over Herbert, and let their bodied slowly collide. 

It was weird, Newt had never really loved hooking up with people. Oh, he had done it, but the sex had never been as good as advertised. He saw, conquered, came, in that order, and that was about it. It felt good, that’s what sex was supposed to do, but this felt different. It was the way Herbert moved under him, the sounds he made, the way he shuttered and twitched when Newt breathed by his ear and kissed along his neck. It was like they fit each other, or maybe complimented each other, like acids and bases, or positives and negatives. They matched each other, devoured each other. 

When it was all over Newt pulled a blanket over the two of them and wrapped his arm around Herbert’s waist, letting his fingers slide up and down his back. West panted, eyes closed against the pillow for a moment before opening his eyes and laying a hand on Newt’s arm.

“So,” Newt broke the silence. “how was it for you?”

Herbert smiled and placed a kiss on Newt’s palm. “I think we both know.”

Newt nodded. Good, right? That probably means good.

He heard West chuckle, probably noticing Newt’s distress. “It was great.” 

Newt smiled. “Thanks. Hey you were pretty great yourself.”

“Did you suspect I wouldn’t be?”

For a second Newt fumbled, unsure what to say, before he saw West smile again. “I’m joking.”

The two men settled into a comfortable silence, letting hands pet and journey over each other’s bodies, giving the occasional soft kiss.

“So do you want to stay over?” Newt asked. “You totally don’t have to, but, hey I wouldn’t mind.”

Herbert looked at the clock. “I don’t have to be on call tomorrow. My day’s open.”

“So is that a…?”

“Yes.”

“Awesome, um, I mean cool. That’s cool.”

Neither of them stayed awake for long. Between the late hour and the warmth growing between them as they cuddled, it only took a few minutes for them to both fall asleep.

 

\---

 

Newt awoke the next morning to find Herbert already awake and staring at him from under the covers.

“Oh hey there, creepy cutie.” Newt said, kissing him on the forehead. “Have you been up long?”

“Newt.” Herbert said. “We have a problem.”

“Problem? What problem? Are you pregnant?”

Herbert rolled his eyes. “No, I just.” He grumbled angrily. “I woke up and wanted to get breakfast,”

“Aw, you don’t have to get me breakfast in bed.”

West let out a sigh “Well, don’t worry, because I didn’t.” he glanced over the side of the bed. “I think we’re back to square one.”

Newt furrowed his brow and leaned over to look at what Herbert was talking about. There lay a pile of their clothes from last night, black and white, and wrinkled up, and totally indistinguishable from each other. 

He looked at West as the two scientists smiled. “I guess we’ll just have to start all over again.” Newt said, reaching over and kissing Herbert.

“I guess we will.”


End file.
